Super Bowl 60 won't have either the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles playing in it again. Of the four teams left in the 2025-2026 playoffs playing in the AFC and NFC championships, however, all have recent rings.
The Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl 56. The New England Patriots won their sixth title in Super Bowl 53. The Denver Broncos last won a decade ago in Super Bowl 50. The Seattle Seahawks have the longest "drought", going 12 years back to Super Bowl 48.
So there still will be something familiar about the Super Bowl 60 matchup on Feb. 8, in Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. But what would be the most compelling NFL championship game from a national audience perspective? Here's ranking them, No. 1 through No. 4:
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1. Seahawks vs. Patriots
The last time these teams played in a Super Bowl it was Super Bowl 49 thriller in Arizona, with Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepting Seahawks QB Russell Wilson at the goal line to preserve a 28-24 victory. Seattle was denied become the first team since New England to repeat.
This would be a worthy sequel a little further west 11 years later. It would have a similar vibe, with the Seahawks' dominant defense vs. The Patriots' dynamic offense, channeling the "The Legion of Boom" against Tom Brady. Now it's the new-look complete Mike Macdonald lesser-known group vs. Drake Maye. This would be a great throwback and make for a fantastic contest.
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2. Rams vs. Patriots
The Patriots turned back the Rams in Super Bowl 53 before the Rams were able to win their first ring under coach Sean McVay three years later over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots also had an epic upset of the then St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl 36 to earn their first of six rings with Brady and coach Bill Belchick.
New England would try to make it a clean three-game sweep, while Mike Vrabel would try to establish himself seven years later as the new Belichick with Maye. For McVay, he could cement his status as the game's best coach and further boost his all-time legacy, despite turning only 40 this January. He would have a lot of time on his side to displace Belichick as the league's GOAT coach.
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3. Rams vs. Broncos
The Broncos have gone to eight Super Bowls, winning three. They are under.500 in the game, at 3-5, while the Rams are 2-3. Surprisingly, the teams have never met in the Super Bowl. The Broncos, however, did win Super Bowl 33 and the Rams, then still in St. Louis, did succeed them as champions of Super 34.
For the modern version, it would be difficult to see Sean Payton, the Saints' winning coach in Super Bowl 44, out-coaching McVay. Also, it would feel more like a second-ring chance for Matthew Stafford in a lopsided QB matchup with Broncos backup Jarrett Stidham. Stafford getting his second ring, coming off his presumed first NFL MVP would stamp his Hall of Fame status.
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4. Seahawks vs. Broncos
Super Bowl 48 was not a good game. The Seahawks' defense destroyed Peyton Manning and a top Broncos' offense, 43-8. The Broncos would be much lesser with Stidham at QB in this modern version. The result of the Seahawks' defense teeing off on the Broncos backup QB would be worse. Other than Seattle fans loving every minute of a return to glory against the same opponent, this would not be a great watch.